Optical networks are experiencing every growing capacity and, in part, addressing this growth with advanced optical modems supporting high capacity through advanced modulation formats, optical impairment mitigation through electrical domain processing, and the like. Simply put, optical modems are a costly component in optical networks, and it would be advantageous to optimize their usage. Conventional techniques for bandwidth reclamation focus on the release of stranded capacity in a single layer. From a terminology perspective, networks can be logically grouped into Layers, such as the OSI stack, with Layer 0 as a photonic layer, Layer 1 as a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) layer, Layer 2/3 as a packet, and the like. In operation, optical modems (Modulator/Demodulator) are carrying traffic spanning each of these layers. Conventional techniques utilize control plane functionality in each technological layer, and optimization is therefore limited and focused on that particular technological layer. There is a need for a unified, multi-layer process which can be used for modem reclamation where the modems are carrying multi-layer traffic. Note, the multi-layer modem reclamation problem cannot be solved at each layer individually as each modem carries multi-layer traffic and changes in one layer impact other layers.